Module 4.3
Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and
internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s systems?
CT Science Framework Topics
Science
Content Standard 4.3
CMT Expected Performances
|
B 12. Describe how the sun’s energy impacts the water cycle. Lesson 4.3.1 Evaporation Lesson 4.3.2 Condensation Lesson 4.3.3 Precipitation B 13. Describe the role of water in erosion and river formation. Lesson 4.3.4 Groundwater Lesson 4.3.5 Moving Water Lesson 4.3.6 Soil Erosion Lesson 4.3.7 Deposition OPTIONAL STC KIT: LAND/WATER |
NH-Greater New Haven Science Collaborative in
Earth & Physical Science
Funded by Title II Teacher Quality Partnership
Grant 2007
Module 4.3 Energy in the Earth’s Systems
Table of Contents
Module 4.3 Teacher Glossary
Lesson 4.3.1 – Evaporation
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise Where Did the Water Go?
Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.2 - Condensation
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: Where Does the Water Come From? Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.3 – Precipitation
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: Why Isn’t It Raining In Here?
Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.4 - Groundwater
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: Vanishing Water?
Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.5 – Moving
Water
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: River Formation
Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.6 – Shaping
the Land – Soil Susceptibility to Erosion
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: Erosion Just Keeps Things Moving
Application
Problems
Lesson 4.3.7 – Shaping
the Land – Sediment Deposition
Teacher
Lesson Plan
Student
Handout
Student
Exercise: Delta Formation
Application
Problems
Glossary
Absorption
Cloud – water droplets
present in the atmosphere
Condensation – the
process by which a gas is turned into a liquid – it involves the loss of energy
Convection
Delta
Erosion
Evaporation – the
process by which a liquid is turned into a gas – it involves the
addition of energy
Floodplain
Humidity – the amount
of water vapor in the air
Hypothesis
Precipitation – liquid
or frozen water that falls to the Earth’s surface from clouds
Rain – precipitation
in the form of liquid water
Snow – precipitation
in the form of frozen water
Sublimation
Sun
Transpiration
Valley
Water cycle
Water vapor – water in
the form of a gas
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.1 Evaporation
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Water
is continuously moving between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere in a
process called the water cycle.
Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the air and
cools, condenses, collects in clouds, and falls again to the surface as
precipitation. The energy that causes the water cycle comes from the sun. |
B 12. Describe how the sun’s energy impacts the water cycle. Lesson 4.3.1 Evaporation |
Science Materials: Smooth slate tiles, dish sponges (the ones with varying size
holes in them), water
Student Handout 4.3.1 – Clouds
Vocabulary: Water vapor, evaporation, condensation, cloud
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
process of evaporation and the role it plays in the larger water cycle of the
Earth.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the literacy
handouts.
Science Concepts: The water cycle is one of the most important global
cycles. The water cycle unites the solid Earth, the atmosphere, and the oceans.
Every living thing is part of the water cycle. When the Earth first formed
there was no water on the planet – it was too hot. Over time, as the
Earth cooled, water present in the atmosphere as water vapor (from the
outgassing of volcanoes and from meteorites) cooled enough to form water
droplets which rained down upon the Earth. This water accumulated in low spots
on the Earth and formed the Earth’s first rivers, lakes, and oceans. The main
driving force behind evaporation is heat energy from the Sun. Thus, places
receiving a large amount of solar energy – e.g. sub-tropical regions
& deserts – will have some of the highest evaporation rates on the
Earth.
Student Exercise 4.3.1
Where Did the Water Go?
Purpose: To investigate how heat from the Sun (solar energy)
drives the
Earth’s water cycle.
Materials: For each group – one wet sponge
- one smooth slate tile
- one flashlight or other light source
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
1. Place the slate tile in front of you on the desk.
2. Using the sponge, carefully wet the entire surface of
the tile.
3. Observe the water on the tile – write down your
observations in the boxes marked 0 Minutes.
4. Turn on the flashlight and shine it on a part of the
wet tile.
5. After five minutes have passed observe what is
happening to the water on the tile beneath the flashlight beam. Write down your
observations on the data sheet.
6. Look at the part of the tile not lit up by the
flashlight. Observe what has happened to the water on that side of the tile.
Write down your observations on the data sheet.
7. Wait another five minutes and observe what has
happened to the water on the tile under the light. Write down your
observations.
8. Check on the unlit side of the tile.
Observe what has happened
to the water
on the tile. Write down your observations on the
data sheet.
9. Turn off the flashlight.
Data Sheet:
|
Treatment |
0 Minutes |
5 Minutes |
10 Minutes |
|
Light |
|
|
|
|
No Light |
|
|
|
Discussion
1. What differences, if any,
did you notice between the part of the tile that was lit by the flashlight and
the part of the tile that was not lit by the flashlight?
2.
Based on your laboratory observations, what role do you think the Sun plays in
the evaporation of water from the Earth?
Conclusion (Based on your
observations, make a statement about the relationship between temperature and
the evaporation of water.)
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.2 Condensation
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Water
is continuously moving between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere in a
process called the water cycle.
Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the air and
cools, condenses, collects in clouds, and falls again to the surface as precipitation.
The energy that causes the water cycle comes from the sun. |
B 12. Describe how the sun’s energy impacts the water cycle. Lesson 4.3.2 Condensation |
Science Materials: Glass jar with metal cover, ice cubes, paper towels
Student Handout 4.3.1 – Clouds
Vocabulary: Water vapor, evaporation, condensation, cloud
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
process of condensation and the role it plays in cloud formation and in the
Earth’s water cycle.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the literacy
handouts.
Science Concepts: As gaseous water molecules rises in the atmosphere
they encounters cooler air than at the Earth’s surface. The water molecules
lose energy and slow down. They are no longer moving rapidly enough to stay in
a gaseous state. Instead, they change state to a liquid. Scientists call this
process condensation. When enough condensed water vapor accumulates in one spot
in the atmosphere, that part of the air becomes saturated with water vapor –
meaning, it cannot hold any more water. The water then falls back to the Earth,
in the form of rain – or, if it is cold enough, sleet or snow.
Student Experiment 4.3.2 Where Does the Water Come From?
Purpose: To investigate how temperature affects the
condensation of water
vapor.
Materials: For each group – one glass jar with metal cover
- Ice cubes
- pencil
- paper towels
- paper
Methods:
- Observe the outside of the glass jar –
write down your observations.
- Place three ice cubes in a glass jar and cover
the jar.
- Wipe the outside of the jar dry with a paper
towel.
- Observe the outside of the jar – write
down your observations on your data sheet.
- Wait 5 minutes and observe the outside of the
jar. Write down your observations on your data sheet.
- Wipe the outside of the jar dry with a paper
towel again.
- Carefully pick up the jar and exhale on it. What
do you observe on the outside of the jar? Write your observations down on
your data sheet.
- Wipe the outside of your jar dry.
Data Sheet:
|
Condition |
Observations |
|
No Ice in Jar |
|
|
3 Ice Cubes on Inside of Jar |
|
|
Exhaled on Outside of Jar |
|
Discussion:
1. Did any conditions
produce the same effect? Which ones?
2. Did
any conditions produce different effects? Which ones?
3. What do you think caused
the differences you observed?
Conclusion: (Based on your
observations, make a statement about the relationship between temperature and
water vapor condensation.)
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.3
Precipitation
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Water
is continuously moving between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere in a
process called the water cycle.
Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the air and
cools, condenses, collects in clouds, and falls again to the surface as
precipitation. The energy that causes the water cycle comes from the sun. |
B 12. Describe how the sun’s energy impacts the water cycle. Lesson 4.3.3 Precipitation |
Science Materials: glass jars with metal covers, sponges, water, plastic cups
marked in milliliters, pencils, paper
Student Handout 4.3.3 – Precipitation
Vocabulary: Water vapor, evaporation, condensation, precipitation,
rain, sleet,
snow, hail, saturation, humidity
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation and their role in the
larger water cycle of the Earth.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the previous two
exercises and in the literacy handouts.
Science Concepts: Water constantly cycles on the Earth. The primary
processes involved in the water cycles are evaporation, condensation and
precipitation. The heat energy for these processes comes directly and
indirectly from the Sun. Humidity is the measure of the amount of water vapor
in the atmosphere. A humidity reading of 100 % means that the air packet has
become saturated with water. When something becomes saturated it means that it
cannot hold anymore. Therefore, saturated air cannot hold any more water vapor.
When air becomes saturated with respect to water vapor, the air cannot hold any
more water and it begins to rain (or snow, if the air temperature is cold
enough).
Student Experiment 4.3.3
Why Isn’t It Raining In Here?
Purpose: To investigate how air saturation relates to precipitation.
Materials: For each group – one glass jar with metal
cover
- Sponge
- Water
- Plastic cup marked in milliliters
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
- Place the dry sponge on top of the open jar.
Observe how much water is present in the jar. Observe how wet the sponge
is. Write down your observations.
- Fill the cup with water up to the 100 ml mark.
- Carefully pour 10 ml of water onto the sponge.
Wait 1 minute. Observe how much water is present in the jar. Observe how
wet the sponge appears. Write down your observations.
- Carefully pour another 10 ml of water onto the
sponge. Wait 1 minute. Observe how much water is present in the jar.
Observe how wet the sponge appears. Write down your observations.
- Repeat Step 4 until it begins to consistently
“rain” in your jar.
- Note how much water is left in the plastic cup.
Write the amount down on your data sheet.
Data Sheet:
|
Amount of Water Poured Onto Sponge |
Observations |
|
O ml |
|
|
10 ml |
|
|
20 ml |
|
|
30 ml |
|
|
40 ml |
|
|
50 ml |
|
|
60 ml |
|
|
70 ml |
|
|
80 ml |
|
|
90 ml |
|
|
100 ml |
|
Discussion:
1. How much water did it
take before you sponge “cloud” started to rain ?
2. If
the sponge represents the atmosphere and the water represents water vapor
present in the atmosphere, what is the relationships between the amount of
water vapor in the atmosphere and precipitation?
Conclusion: (Based on your
observations, make a statement about the relationship between air saturation and
precipitation.)
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.4 Groundwater
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Most precipitation that
falls to Earth goes directly into oceans. Some precipitation falls on land and accumulates in lakes
and ponds or moves across the land.
Rain or snowmelt in high elevations flows downhill in many streams
which collect in lower elevations to form a river that flows downhill to an
ocean. ¨
Water moving across
the earth in streams and rivers pushes along soil and breaks down pieces of
rock in a process called erosion.
The moving water carries away rock and soil from some areas and
deposits them in other areas, creating new landforms or changing the course
of a stream or river. ¨
The amount of erosion
in an area, and the type of earth material that is moved, are affected by the
amount of moving water, the speed of the moving water, and by how much
vegetation covers the area. ¨
Rivers carve out
valleys as they move between mountains or hills. The speed of the river’s flow depends on the slope of the
land. The speed of the river’s
flow affects the shape of the river’s course (straight or meandering), the
shape of the valleys it carves (u-shaped or v-shaped) and the amount of earth
material that is pushed along or left behind in floodplains and deltas. ¨
Water moving in ocean
waves carries sand, shells and debris away from some coastal areas and
deposits them in new areas, changing the shape of the coastline. ¨
Erosion is constantly
reshaping the earth’s land surface.
Sometimes the effects of erosion are immediate (for example, a flash
flood or a hurricane) and sometimes the effects of erosion take a long time
(for example, the changing course of a river or the carving of the Grand
Canyon). |
B 13. Describe the role of water in erosion and river formation. Lesson 4.3.4 Groundwater |
Science Materials: Stream table kit (plastic container, plastic cup, different soil
materials, lid, gloves, funnel), damp play sand, funnels,
blue-colored water (made from food coloring), spray
bottles
filled with orange colored water, pencils, paper
Student Handout 4.3.4 Groundwater
Vocabulary: Groundwater, water table, artesian spring
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
processes of groundwater formation and flow and their relationships to the
Earth’s water cycle.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the previous inquiry
experiments and in the literacy handout for today’s lesson.
Science Concepts: The water cycle is one of the most important global
cycles. Up until now the lessons have focused on the processes governing water
transfer between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere. Another extremely
important part of the water cycle, however, occurs far away from the atmosphere
– it occurs beneath the ground. A portion of all the water that falls to
the Earth as precipitation or is present in rivers, lakes, and oceans enters
into the ground through soils and cracks in rocks. This water moves through the
spaces between sediments and travels underground, sometimes accumulating in
underground streams and rivers. All groundwater eventually finds its way into
lakes, rivers, and, ultimately, oceans. Groundwater is very important –
it provides drinking water for the majority of people on the Earth!
Student Experiment 4.3.4.
Vanishing Water ?
Purpose: To investigate how groundwater forms and where it
flows.
Materials: For each group – one stream table kit (plastic
container, plastic cup,
different
soil materials, lid, gloves, funnel)
- Damp Sand
- One funnel
- Blue colored water (made from food coloring)
- Spray bottle filled with yellow colored water
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
1. Place newspaper on your
work surface. Put on a pair of plastic gloves.
2. Fill ¾ of the plastic
container with sand.
3. Push the sand towards one
end of the plastic container, forming a large
sand
wedge. The other end of the plastic container should not have any sand in it.
4. Carefully pour 1 cup of clear
water into the end of the plastic container
without
any sand in it.
5. Gently and evenly spray
the surface of the sand five times with water from the
spray
bottle – observe what happens to the sand surface. Write down your observations
in you Stream Table Data Notebook or on your data sheet.
6. Repeat Step 5.
7. Gently and carefully
insert a funnel three inches down into the sandy
sediments,
about 5 inches from the top of the sand wedge.
8. Carefully pour ½ cup of
blue colored water into the funnel. Observe the
surface
of the sediments. Write down your observations. Observe the water at the end of
the container. Write down your observations.
9. After five minutes have
passed, repeat Step 8.
Discussion:
1. Where did the water that
you sprayed on the sand go? What observations helped you to see this?
2. Did any of the yellow
sprayed water reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
3.
Where did the blue water go? Did you observe anything that helped you to know
this?
4. Did any of the blue water
reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
Conclusion:
(Based on your observations, make a statement about groundwater formation and
movement.)
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.5 Moving Water
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Most precipitation
that falls to Earth goes directly into oceans. Some precipitation falls on land and accumulates in lakes
and ponds or moves across the land.
Rain or snowmelt in high elevations flows downhill in many streams
which collect in lower elevations to form a river that flows downhill to an
ocean. ¨
Water moving across
the earth in streams and rivers pushes along soil and breaks down pieces of
rock in a process called erosion.
The moving water carries away rock and soil from some areas and
deposits them in other areas, creating new landforms or changing the course
of a stream or river. ¨
The amount of erosion
in an area, and the type of earth material that is moved, are affected by the
amount of moving water, the speed of the moving water, and by how much
vegetation covers the area. ¨
Rivers carve out
valleys as they move between mountains or hills. The speed of the river’s flow depends on the slope of the
land. The speed of the river’s
flow affects the shape of the river’s course (straight or meandering), the
shape of the valleys it carves (u-shaped or v-shaped) and the amount of earth
material that is pushed along or left behind in floodplains and deltas. ¨
Water moving in ocean
waves carries sand, shells and debris away from some coastal areas and
deposits them in new areas, changing the shape of the coastline. ¨
Erosion is constantly
reshaping the earth’s land surface.
Sometimes the effects of erosion are immediate (for example, a flash
flood or a hurricane) and sometimes the effects of erosion take a long time
(for example, the changing course of a river or the carving of the Grand
Canyon). |
B 13. Describe the role of water in erosion and river formation. Lesson 4.3.5 River Formation |
Science Materials:
Student Handout 4.3.5 – Streams & Rivers
Vocabulary:
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
process of river formation and its relationship to the other parts of the water
cycle.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the previous
exercises and the literacy handouts.
Science Concepts: Water is an extremely powerful force. While one
individual water droplet may not appear very strong, moving water has the
ability to literally move mountains. Once precipitation reaches the Earth’s
surface, it usually does not stay in one place. A significant amount of it
flows over the Earth’s surface – as streams and rivers. Moving water is
very powerful. The energy contained in moving water can be harnessed and used
for good, such as for generating electricity or running water wheels.
Student Experiment 4.3.5.
Stream & River Formation
Purpose: To investigate how rivers form and how they flow.
Materials: For each group – one stream table kit (plastic
container, plastic cup,
different
soil materials, lid, gloves, funnel)
- Damp Sand
- One
plastic cup with 3 holes evenly spaced along one side
of the bottom
of the cup
- One plastic cup
without any holes in it
- Red
colored water (made from food coloring)
- Blue
colored water
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
1. Place newspaper on your
work surface. Put on a pair of plastic gloves.
2. Fill ¾ of the plastic
container with sand.
3. Push the sand towards one
end of the plastic container, forming a large
sand
wedge with a very gentle slope. The other end of the plastic container should
not have any sand in it.
4. Carefully pour 1 cup of blue
water into the end of the plastic container
without
any sand in it.
5. Measure out one cupful of
red water into the cup without the holes. Set it aside.
6. Gently and carefully place
the cup with the holes in it on the edge of the
container
above the sand wedge (see diagram). Make sure that the 3 holes are lined up
above the sand.
7. With one student holding
the 3-hole cup in place, another group member
needs
to carefully pour the cup of red water into the plastic cup with the
holes in it. All group
members should observe what happens to the water
as it
trickles out of the 3-hole cup.
8. Sketch what happens to
the water on the data sheet labeled Observation #1.
9. Observe what happens to
the blue water at the end of the container. Write
down what
you see on the data sheet.
10. Wait four minutes after
your last observation, then repeat Steps 5-9,
sketching your results in the data sheets labeled Observation #2.
11. Carefully sketch the
path of your stream onto your data sheet in the
box
labeled Observation #3.
Data:
Observation #1.
Water Observation
Notes:
Observation #2.
Observation #3.
Discussion:
1.What happened to the water
from the cup?
2. Did any of the red water
reach the blue water at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
3. Did
the red water change the sand it was flowing over? If yes, how might this have
happened?
4. If the red water
represents a river and the blue water represents the ocean, how might a river
affect the ocean?
5. Look carefully at your
final sketch of the red river? Did the water flow in a straight line? Did it
follow another pattern? What do you think caused it to flow the way it did?
Conclusion:
(Based on your observations, make a statement about water flow, rivers, and
river flow).
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.6 Soil Erosion
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Most precipitation
that falls to Earth goes directly into oceans. Some precipitation falls on land and accumulates in lakes
and ponds or moves across the land.
Rain or snowmelt in high elevations flows downhill in many streams
which collect in lower elevations to form a river that flows downhill to an
ocean. ¨
Water moving across
the earth in streams and rivers pushes along soil and breaks down pieces of
rock in a process called erosion.
The moving water carries away rock and soil from some areas and
deposits them in other areas, creating new landforms or changing the course
of a stream or river. ¨
The amount of erosion
in an area, and the type of earth material that is moved, are affected by the
amount of moving water, the speed of the moving water, and by how much
vegetation covers the area. ¨
Rivers carve out
valleys as they move between mountains or hills. The speed of the river’s flow depends on the slope of the
land. The speed of the river’s
flow affects the shape of the river’s course (straight or meandering), the
shape of the valleys it carves (u-shaped or v-shaped) and the amount of earth
material that is pushed along or left behind in floodplains and deltas. ¨
Water moving in ocean
waves carries sand, shells and debris away from some coastal areas and
deposits them in new areas, changing the shape of the coastline. ¨
Erosion is constantly
reshaping the earth’s land surface.
Sometimes the effects of erosion are immediate (for example, a flash
flood or a hurricane) and sometimes the effects of erosion take a long time
(for example, the changing course of a river or the carving of the Grand
Canyon). |
B 13. Describe the role of water in erosion and river formation. Lesson 4.3.6 Soil Erosion |
Science Materials:
Student Handout 4.3.6 – Erosion
Vocabulary:
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
process of river formation and its relationship to the other parts of the water
cycle.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the previous
exercises and the literacy handouts.
Science Concepts: Moving water is very powerful. Depending on the
amount of water in motion, as well as the speed with which it is flowing,
moving water can move soils, fine sediment particles, sand, rocks, and, even,
boulders. Moving water can destroy houses, farmland, dams, boats, and other
things. The movement of soils and sediments by water, ice, or wind is called
erosion. Erosion shapes the land around us, creating hills and valleys.
Student Experiment 4.3.6 Erosion
Just Keeps Things Moving
Purpose: To investigate how moving water moves sediments.
Materials: For each group – one stream table kit (plastic
container, plastic cup,
different
soil materials, lid, gloves, funnel)
- Damp Sand,
topsoil, and gravel
- 2 cups – one with 3 holes and one without holes
- Yellow colored water (made from food coloring)
- Clear water
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
1. Place newspaper on your work surface. Put on a pair of
plastic gloves.
2. Fill ¾ of the plastic container with damp sand and make a
wedge as you did
for
the previous experiment.
3. Working with your partners, carefully place a 1” wide
gravel layer across your
wedge.
4. Working with your partners, carefully layer a 1” wide
topsoil layer across your
wedge,
at least 2 “ away from your gravel layer.
5. Carefully pour 1 cup of clear water into the end of the
plastic container
without
any sand in it.
6. Measure out one cupful of yellow water into the cup
without the holes. Set it aside.
7. Gently and carefully place the cup with the holes in it
on the edge of the
container
above the sand wedge (see diagram). Make sure that the 3 holes are lined up
above the sand.
8. With one student holding the 3-hole cup in place, another
group member
needs
to carefully pour the cup of yellow water into the plastic cup with the
holes
in it. All group members should observe what happens to the water
as it
trickles out of the 3-hole cup.
9. What happens to the water as it flows over the sand?
Write your observations
down
in the chart on the data sheet.
10. What happens to the
water as it flows over the gravel? Write your
observations
down in the chart on the data sheet.
11. What happens to the
water as it flows over the topsoil? Write your
observations
down in the chart on the data sheet.
12. Observe what happens to
the clear water at the end of the container. Write
down what
you see in the chart on the data sheet.
13. Carefully sketch the
path of your stream onto your data sheet in the
box labeled Stream Path
Observation.
Data Sheet:
#1. Data Chart:
Sediment & Water Observations
|
|
Water Over Sand |
Water Over Gravel |
Water Over Topsoil |
Clear Water at Bottom of Container |
|
My Notes |
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
#2. Stream Path
Observation Sketch:
Discussion:
1. What happened when the
water flowed over the sand?
2. Did any of the yellow
sprayed water reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
3.
Where did the blue water go? Did you observe anything that helped you to know
this?
4. Did any of the blue water
reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
Conclusion:
(Based on your observations, make a statement about groundwater formation and
movement.)
Inquiry Lesson 4.3.7 Deposition
|
Content Standard |
Expected Performance |
|
¨
Most precipitation
that falls to Earth goes directly into oceans. Some precipitation falls on land and accumulates in lakes
and ponds or moves across the land.
Rain or snowmelt in high elevations flows downhill in many streams
which collect in lower elevations to form a river that flows downhill to an
ocean. ¨
Water moving across
the earth in streams and rivers pushes along soil and breaks down pieces of
rock in a process called erosion.
The moving water carries away rock and soil from some areas and
deposits them in other areas, creating new landforms or changing the course
of a stream or river. ¨
The amount of erosion
in an area, and the type of earth material that is moved, are affected by the
amount of moving water, the speed of the moving water, and by how much
vegetation covers the area. ¨
Rivers carve out
valleys as they move between mountains or hills. The speed of the river’s flow depends on the slope of the
land. The speed of the river’s
flow affects the shape of the river’s course (straight or meandering), the
shape of the valleys it carves (u-shaped or v-shaped) and the amount of earth
material that is pushed along or left behind in floodplains and deltas. ¨
Water moving in ocean
waves carries sand, shells and debris away from some coastal areas and
deposits them in new areas, changing the shape of the coastline. ¨
Erosion is constantly
reshaping the earth’s land surface.
Sometimes the effects of erosion are immediate (for example, a flash
flood or a hurricane) and sometimes the effects of erosion take a long time
(for example, the changing course of a river or the carving of the Grand
Canyon). |
B 13. Describe the role of water in erosion and river formation. Lesson 4.3.7 Soil Deposition |
Science Materials:
Student Handout 4.3.7 – Soil Deposition
Vocabulary:
Inquiry: In this exercise, students will investigate the
process of river formation and its relationship to the other parts of the water
cycle.
Procedures and Directions: Review the concepts covered in the previous
exercises and the literacy handouts.
Science Concepts: Water is an extremely powerful force. While one
individual water droplet may not appear very strong, moving water has the
ability to literally move mountains. Once precipitation reaches the Earth’s
surface, it usually does not stay in one place. A significant amount of it
flows over the Earth’s surface – as streams and rivers. Moving water is
very powerful. Depending on the amount of water in motion, as well as the speed
with which it is flowing, moving water can move soils, fine sediment particles,
sand, rocks, and, even, boulders. Moving water can destroy houses, farmland,
dams, boats, and other things. The energy contained in moving water, however,
also can be harnessed and used for good. Moving water is used to generate
electricity.
Student Experiment 4.3.7 Soil
Deposition
Purpose: To investigate how rivers form and how they flow.
Materials: For each group – one stream table kit (plastic
container, plastic cup,
different
soil materials, lid, gloves, funnel)
- Damp Sand
- One funnel
- Blue colored water (made from food coloring)
- Spray bottle filled with yellow colored water
- pencil
- paper
Methods:
1. Place newspaper on your
work surface. Put on a pair of plastic gloves.
2. Fill ¾ of the plastic
container with sand.
3. Push the sand towards one
end of the plastic container, forming a large
sand
wedge. The other end of the plastic container should not have any sand in it.
4. Carefully pour 1 cup of clear
water into the end of the plastic container
without
any sand in it.
5. Gently and evenly spray
the surface of the sand five times with water from the
spray
bottle – observe what happens to the sand surface. Write down your observations
in you Stream Table Data Notebook or on your data sheet.
6. Repeat Step 5.
7. Gently and carefully
insert a funnel three inches down into the sandy
sediments,
about 5 inches from the top of the sand wedge.
8. Carefully pour ½ cup of
blue colored water into the funnel. Observe the
surface
of the sediments. Write down your observations. Observe the water at the end of
the container. Write down your observations.
9. After five minutes have
passed, repeat Step 8.
Discussion:
1. Where did the water that
you sprayed on the sand go? What observations helped you to see this?
2. Did any of the yellow
sprayed water reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
3.
Where did the blue water go? Did you observe anything that helped you to know
this?
4. Did any of the blue water
reach the pond at the bottom of the container? Why or why not?
Conclusion:
(Based on your observations, make a statement about groundwater formation and
movement.)